The five Hudson Valley bridges operated by the New York State Bridge Authority are undergoing underwater pier inspections as part of federally required safety regulations.
The underwater inspections, which are performed every five years, are part of the monitoring and maintenance program that keeps these bridges safe and in good condition.
“We”™ve done these types of inspections for years”, said Bridge Authority Chief Engineer Bill Moreau. “It”™s a ”˜hands-on”™ examination that alerts us to any maintenance that needs to be done well before any problems develop.”
The Bridge Authority operates the Bear Mountain, Newburgh-Beacon, Mid-Hudson, Kingston-Rhinecliff and Rip Van Winkle bridges in the Hudson Valley.
Inspections are being done by the Castle Group. Principal William J. Castle, who is doing some of the inspections personally, said he has found no significant issues to date and that the underwater portions of the authority”™s bridges are in good shape.
Underwater inspections have been completed at the Mid-Hudson Bridge and the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge. Inspections are scheduled later this summer for the Bear Mountain, Kingston-Rhinecliff and Rip Van Winkle bridges.
The inspections examine every aspect of the piers from the water line to the ”˜mud line”™ ”“ the bottom of the river, said Castle. Below the river bed the piers are secured to pilings that reach to bedrock beneath the Hudson River.
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